Family of Marine shot at high school entitled to $4.4M settlement

May. 30, 2013 - 08:19AM
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SANTA ANA, CALIF. — The family of an unarmed Marine who was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy at San Clemente High School is entitled to a $4.4 million settlement, Orange County officials announced Wednesday.

County supervisors voted last month to authorize attorneys to settle the federal lawsuit with the family of Sgt. Manuel Levi Loggins Jr., county spokesman Howard Sutter told City News Service.

Loggins, 31, was known to take his daughters to San Clemente High School early in the morning for workouts.

Loggins was in his SUV with his two daughters when Deputy Darren Sandberg said he crashed through a parking lot gate on Feb. 7, 2012.

Sandberg said he saw Loggins burst through the gate from where he was parked nearby, doing paperwork in his patrol car.

Sandberg said he ordered Loggins out of the car, but Loggins didn’t comply with commands before the deputy shot and killed him.

Sandberg was later exonerated by county prosecutors, who found the shooting justified.

Loggins’ family disagreed with that finding, and his widow filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

“It’s just a tragedy and there isn’t anyone involved who wouldn’t agree,” said Orange County Board Chairman Shawn Nelson when supervisors voted to pursue the settlement.